A Fateful Meeting
by HPFangirl71
Summary: My version of how Draco Malfoy met and fell in love with Astoria Greengrass, his future wife. I dont usually write canon couples so this is a stretch for me... hope I do it justice. Rated high for future installments.


**A/N: This piece was written for a prompt fest but I plan to add to it... might be a little while but this is definitely going to be a ficlet of sorts with a couple pieces to it so there will be more eventually... I promise!  
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**A Fateful Meeting by HPFangirl71**

"Do you love me?"

That was the question Draco Malfoy had asked his fiancé this evening. He'd asked her it just before arriving here. His grey eyes scanned the crowded ballroom, watching the dark haired beauty to which he was engaged. He took a sip of his drink as he watched her charmingly maneuver herself through the throng of important people attending tonight's little soiree. This function just one of the dozens upon dozens of functions they'd attended since the aftermath of the war. It was a fight for them, to keep up this social façade, to reclaim just a bit of dignity and glory for their families.

That had been a huge part of Pansy's answer when he'd asked the all too pertinent question. She hadn't said no of course but her yes had been full of talk about destiny and responsibility to their families and bloodlines. It'd really had nothing to do at all with love… she was only with him because it was expected. Draco wasn't even sure just why her answer had surprised him, he knew the kind of girl Pansy Parkinson was… a tried and true Slytherin to the very end. Draco was one himself after all but recently he'd begun to grow qualities that were more Gryffindor in nature and sometimes it frightened him. After all, chivalry, loyalty and bravery weren't easy traits for a born and raised Slytherin to attend with, but it was something he was slowly being acquainted with nonetheless.

The war had left his family crippled in spirit. His mother's betrayal of the Dark Lord their only redeeming feature. Harry Potter's testimony and influence the only thing keeping them all from the inside of an Azkaban prison cell. Draco had gone to the man in an effort to thank him for his kindness and somehow a friendship had sprung forth. This friendship, coupled with Draco's war relief efforts had a somewhat saving grace upon the family name. Draco let everyone think that his charity was completely self-serving but it was done more so out of guilt and wanting to repay those he'd wronged throughout the war. His friendship with the wizarding savior was looked upon as a cleverly cunning coup as well but in all reality, Draco enjoyed spending time with Potter, becoming quite fond of the boy he'd once hated and if truth were told, his ragtag friends as well.

Draco stood up, brushing a stray lock of hair out of his eyes and walked toward the bar to get himself another drink. With his mind on other things, he wasn't quite paying attention when he felt himself run straight into another body. A soft voice muttering apologies rang in his ear. Pulling himself to rights, he looked up into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen. More purple in color, they weren't like any blue he'd ever seen before. Putting his hand out to the young lady he'd bumped into he pulled them both up to a standing position.

"I'm so utterly sorry," she again said apologetically.

Draco could concentrate on nothing but the beauty of her smile as she half hid her face in embarrassment.

"No, it's completely my fault" he said insistently.

Suddenly realizing he was still holding her wrist, he dropped it and smiled charmingly. The young woman put her hand out for him to grasp and when he did, he swore he felt the magic in the air multiply. With a chivalrous smile, he bent lightly to kiss her outstretched hand and the feel of her soft skin upon his lips was magnificent.

"I'm Astoria" she whispered shyly "Astoria Greengrass that is…"

"I'm Draco Malfoy. Greengrass? Greengrass? Your sister isn't Daphne is it?"

"Yes, Daph is my older sister"

The girl beamed with pride at his mention of her sister and Draco tried hard to remember everything he knew of the family from Pansy's incessant chattering. Coming up blank, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Are you still at Hogwarts then?"

Astoria smiled that beautiful smile that was making him feel giddy as a schoolboy all of a sudden.

"I'll be graduating this year actually."

"Slytherin house I take it" Draco said conversationally.

"No, actually I was sorted Ravenclaw instead."

"Beauty and brains…" Draco mused.

"What was that?" she questioned and suddenly Draco was the one feeling bashful.

"Nothing" he said, hiding his face, which was sure to be turning crimson at this very moment.

She smiled again before turning back toward the bar.

"My drink seems to have landed on your trousers so I think I need another"

She pushed through the people dancing, with Draco close at her heels. He was close enough to touch her but barely containing the urge to do just that. He watched as she ordered a glass of champagne before finally speaking.

"Here let me get that since I'm the one who spoiled your first drink"

Their fingers brushed together as he placed the coins on the bar. Draco felt that spark between them again and he couldn't help smiling at her. She said her thanks then disappeared into the crowd. That's when the guilt kicked in, guilt over his family and Pansy washing over him in waves. Waves of fear and panic making him feel like a drowning man. Somehow, in the span of a few moments, his heart had gone spinning out of control and now that it was back, it was completely altered. Through just one awkward introduction, Draco had realized how wrong his life really was. He couldn't marry Pansy. He couldn't marry her because he didn't love her, he didn't feel any of the spark with her that he'd felt with a total stranger… somehow, Draco felt the hands of fate were pulling him away from Pansy and into the arms of one Astoria Greengrass.


End file.
